When I was lucky enough to get a copy of War of the Ring in a trade with a friend earlier this year, I didn't realize how enamored I would become with the game. After getting through the rulebook and playing once, however, I understood what a gem of a game War of the Ring is. After seeing some of the amazing paint jobs, additional props and bits, and perusing the wealth of supplemental files found here on BGG, I pondered the idea of pimping out War of the Ring, with a determination not to spend too much money doing so. What follows is an account of what I did....

Although this is currently out of print, Ares Games is rumored to be working on a second edition to go along with the very soon to be released second edition of the original War of the Ring (First Edition). At the time I bought the expansion on ebay for about US$50, Nexus Games announced their bankruptcy, and being pessimistic about a rerelease anytime soon, I grabbed up a still-in-shrink copy of the expansion. This was the first step I took towards pimping out this wonderful game.

Step 2: Extra Bits

After seeing some amazing pictures here on the Geek of game boards strewn with various props and bits from Middle Earth, I started out on my own quest for Mt. Doom. Fortunately, I found some awesome models made by

. Unlike Frodo and Sam, however, the version I was looking for was a homemade painted plastic version:

I also went on a separate search for some Eaglemoss Collection LOTR chess pieces made in the likeness of some of the famous towers found in Middle Earth: Orthanc, Minas Tirith, and Barad Dur. These chess pieces are very affordable through ebay, are the perfect size for the game board, and really add a lot to the atmosphere when playing the game.

Next, I found a really cheap (US$3) imitation One Ring on ebay to replace the fellowship marker on the board. Completely unnecessary, no doubt, but I really like the way it looks on the board.

Step 3: Painting the figures

The biggest decision I had to make was what to do about the minis. They look great, but I was sure that having each faction's army painted separate colors would not only make the game easier to play and organize, but more enjoyable as well. I was on the fence at first, wondering if Ares Games would be releasing separately colored armies in the upcoming second edition. As soon as I heard that they were not planning on doing this, I started searching for a skilled painter who could do a simple base-paint job making it easier to tell the separate armies apart.

I contacted over 20 different painters, and finally found the one. His name is Jason Tedrow, and his company, Spotted Troll Painting, quickly responded with a detailed plan, very reasonable estimate, and an overall friendly tone that instantly made me go with him as my painter. Through each step of the process, he sent me pictures of the process, took my ideas and suggestions and applied them to the figures, and provided amazing customer support. I was so impressed, I decided to send in my character figures for a medium-level detail job. See the pics below for an idea of how things turned out.

Step 4: Enjoy this game for the rest of my life

I couldn't be happier with the way my game has turned out. Finding and acquiring the various bits, downloading the extra files here on BGG, and getting updates from Jason as he painted my pieces were all just as fun as actually playing the game, and that says a lot. Since pimping the game out, War of the Ring has gone from my favorite game of all time, to, um, my favorite game of all time. With the release of the second edition coming out soon, I plan on buying the revised board directly from the Ares e-shop, and continuing my quest on making War of the Ring as pimped out as I can.

was doing on his War of the Ring Stronghold miniatures, I had to take the next step in pimping out my edition of WotR. Being lucky enough to be #3 on the long list of eagerly awaiting fans, I snapped a picture of my set soon after it arrived:

Unfortunately, they sat in their plastic container for a month or two before I was finally able to get them out onto the table. Although they are a bit big for my non-CE board, they still look amazing, and add a lot to the theme and feel of the game. For any diehard fan, I highly recommend them!

I found that the chess pieces look better with the bases knocked off. Also, why not fit the Barad-dur piece with a small electric light in place of the eye?

Mighty Empires (the original game) has loads of extra stuff; the fortress pieces make excellent strongholds, and the cities and villages serve for the other settlements. They also have switchable flags to mark control.The banner units look great painted up and used as army markers.

Jason charged me US$70 for all of the painting, including the detailed characters, and highlighted and washed elites and Ents. He even included the shipping. That was before he got very busy with Dreadfleet painting, however, so his rates may have gone up for all I know. I did give him a $20 tip on top of everything for providing such excellent customer service.

PS -- Fubar, I edited in your username info into the writeup so that other users know where to find you! Thanks for making such great stuff. Do you plan on making strongholds for the normal WotR edition as well?

Looking good Matt and a real joy to play. I see though that the guys who did Mount Doom are making other terrain pieces (Gondors strongholds). It seems like in a couple of years the entire board might end up 3D.

PS -- Fubar, I edited in your username info into the writeup so that other users know where to find you! Thanks for making such great stuff. Do you plan on making strongholds for the normal WotR edition as well?

We have no plans to do Strongholds for the non-CE edition although we have had a few inquires (less than 10). A possible "solution" for super-pimpers is to get the 2nd edition, scan the board and then take it to a print shop to get a 130% version printed. Then, our strongholds will fit.

It is very likely that our version of the "Two Towers" (when we produce them) will be sized in a way that will allow their use on the 1st and 2nd edition board.

PS -- Fubar, I edited in your username info into the writeup so that other users know where to find you! Thanks for making such great stuff. Do you plan on making strongholds for the normal WotR edition as well?

We have no plans to do Strongholds for the non-CE edition although we have had a few inquires (less than 10). A possible "solution" for super-pimpers is to get the 2nd edition, scan the board and then take it to a print shop to get a 130% version printed. Then, our strongholds will fit.

It is very likely that our version of the "Two Towers" (when we produce them) will be sized in a way that will allow their use on the 1st and 2nd edition board.

Hiya, I've been working on pimping my friend's copy of the CE with a full set of strongholds. It's a work in progress but I thought I'd let you see what they look like on the normal size board (which is what I have..). They are all on 40mm round bases (roughly the size of an old english penny or U.S. half dollar). I've also left a few bits of round base showing in case I want to colour code them at the painting stage to match the other figures - any thoughts on this? Good/bad?

Haha, good spot Gregg! I'm finding the toothpicks, styrene strip and thin cardstock give me really clean lines that would otherwise be a real devil to sculpt. The toothpicks especially are giving a unified style to the Sauron strongholds which is what I was trying to achieve in the first place. I'm using off-white plasticine to sculpt the minis - started out using wax but it was so soft that I kept damaging some of the fine details everytime I touched them! Trying hard to find some free time to finish off the last three sculpts (Umbar and The Two Towers) so I can make the silicone moulds and cast them up in 2-part resin. Then the real fun begins with the paint jobs (my fave bit!). A few kind folk seem to like them so with a bit of luck I may end up doing a short casting run to accomodate them.

Either way it's a bit of fun for me that'll hopefully add a little something to an already great game.

hey , i had a quick question! i know that the collector's edition of war of the ring is 25% larger... are the pieces larger than the new ares games version?

i bought the new ares version (2nd edition war of the ring), and i'm seeing my pieces are different than yours. yours look larger, but i'm not sure. and they're only one solid color? i was under the impression that the collector's edition was all hand-painted.

anyways, any help would be great... i'm trying to "upgrade" my war of the ring as well! thanks for the inspiration! :)